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Hid kits

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basil the dog

Member
looking at HID kits for my 2006 e86 , seems i've got two options of either 35w or 55w ,anyone got any ideas regarding the better option?
the kits are from an outfit called HIDS4U

cheers
 
55w will be brighter than 35w both will lead to MOT failure on new rules if you get found out (may also invalidate insurance if found out).
 
Magicarcher said:
55w will be brighter than 35w both will lead to MOT failure on new rules if you get found out (may also invalidate insurance if found out).
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Is this still the case if you have reflector lenses?
 
Jembo said:
Magicarcher said:
55w will be brighter than 35w both will lead to MOT failure on new rules if you get found out (may also invalidate insurance if found out).
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Is this still the case if you have reflector lenses?
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Stictly I believe it is because headlamp levelling is required for HID to stop blinding opposing vehicles. But you may stand a better chance of it not being noticed if you have reflectors + headlamp wash.
 
I have HID in my old E85, been in 5 years and keeps passing it’s mot, in fact it passed two weeks ago and the guy that mot it, knows full well they are HID, so I asked him outright about the lights, It’s basically the beam pattern has to be right and it has to have washers, not self levelling etc,
 
basil the dog said:
Cheers ,think i'll go for them :thumbsup:
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Some extra notes... the HID4U kits have quite a lot of extra wiring & ballasts, where in some installs you need to cut holes in your existing casing for the wiring, so google & research thoroughly.

If you decide to go LED, it only gets worse as there are vastly different qualities AND LED are directional, unlike a filament bulb, so unless the emitted beam isn’t 100% in the focal point, it’s crap.

Began experimenting as have another car with OEM LED’s... & they are noticeably whiter than Xenons & brilliant for low light, even if there are the odd grey spots.

So... for the old XC60 ended up buying 2 sets of different LED’s for the separate main beam, both £20 cheapies as change over casings when go into Europe. One set is very good up to 50m but looses the distance, the other ‘more powerful quad version’ is the biggest waste of time imaginable.

Ended up cannibalising some McTuning LED’s which mimic the filament light pattern & must admit are really quite good, though totally not suitable (and now illegal) for dip in a standard halogen housing.


Good hunting
 
From the MOT manual.MOT 1.7.jpeg

note, not the latest version but the latest I could find.
 
Existing halogen headlamp units shouldn’t be converted to be used with HID bulbs. If such a conversion has been done, you must fail the headlamp.
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Found on gov.uk website (last update May 2018) https://www.mot-testing.service.gov.uk/documents/manuals/class3457/Section-4-Lamps-reflectors-and-electrical-equipment.html#section_4.1

I don’t think it can get much clearer, but of course it doesn’t mean enforced. I don’t mind swapping it back for MOT if needed, but would rather not risk my policy being cancelled (insurers would love that).

BTW none of the MOT versions I have ever seen required levelling or washers for HIDs, only to be working if fitted.
 
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